Ryusei: Hot.
Ganran: Yeah.
Rexer: Stay hydrated. Hitomi, do we still have water?
Hitomi: Yep. Not much though. You okay, MC?
MC: dying / yeah somehow
The party's venturing deeper into the volcano. It sucks.
Ganran: Lots of walls fallen thanks to the eruption threat. No idea what's ahead.
Hitomi: I guess we just keep going...
Rexer: Yeah. If it forks off, MC can sense the way.
Ganran: Sorry I'm not much of a guide here. Counting on you, MC.
MC nods.
Ryusei: I'll carry you if you're tired, MC!
MC: uhhhh / thanks, but you okay?
Ryusei: Still good! Try to relax, we still got a fight up ahead.
Rexer: Damn, you're tough. I should work out more.
Ryusei: Thanks! Maybe we can work out back at the village when everything's okay!
Rexer: ...sure, promise.
Ganran: Nice, I'm in too!
Hitomi: Gotta stay positive!
EEEEVILLLL
MC: Incoming!
Party: !!
Monsters: REEEE
Ganran: Hey, these look like the ones that stole our rock cacao!
Rexer: Cool, we can beat them up and get it back! Hitomi, Ryusei, let's fight in formation!
Hitomi: Okay!
Ganran: Coo--wait, more of them are coming!
More Monsters spawn in!
Ryusei: What!? ...wait, look out MC!
Ambush attack on MC!
MC: OH NO
Rexer: MC!
Ryusei: Hup!
Ryusei blocks for MC and kicks the Monster away!
Ryusei: You okay, MC? Step back, we'll handle it.
MC: Ryusei, your arms! You okay!?
Ryusei: ...yeah, I'm still good to go!
Ganran: Axe Chop!
Pow!
Ganran: MC, Ryusei! You two okay!
Rexer: We've cleaned up this side! What about the other one!?
Rexer and Ganran run over! The Monster Ryusei kicked away disappears!
Ganran: Oh goddammit! Whatever, Ryusei, your arms!
Hitomi: MC, I brought a first aid kit!
Ryusei: Ow. But thanks guys, I'm good now. But I'm glad you're fine, MC! Any other Monsters around?
MC shakes their head. The party detransforms and gets into cover to fix up Ryusei.
MC: Sorry guys...
Ryusei: It's not your fault MC. And no worries, I heal fast!
He smiles. His bite looks bad though.
Rexer: You guys... well actually, we ought to take a break. We still have a boss to get to.
Ganran: Yeah. Hey, wash that bite up.
Ganran passes some water over.
Ryusei: Wait, you sure? ...thanks.
Ryusei washes up his bite.
Ryusei: ...so I once said I was too late to run from a Monster attack one time. I couldn't do anything, and then this huge beefy hero saved me. He told me I should be my own hero first. So I tried changing myself to someone I could like.
Ryusei looks at MC.
Ryusei: I just jumped in when you were attacked. I tried to be my own hero, but now I've become a hero who can at least protect you. Maybe this is what that one hero felt back then.
MC: ...thanks.
Rexer: Yeah, thanks Ryusei... you've gotten closer to the hero you admire, huh? Have I gotten closer to Rexer?
Ryusei: I think you're doing good!
Surprised Rexer!
Ryusei: I see how hard you always work and train! And work your pro gamer job! Sometimes I wonder how I'd be if I worked as hard as you, back then.
Rexer: Oh...thanks. I think it's cool how hard you push yourself at working out.
Ryusei: (shakes head) I wasn't anything special before. I just hated myself. Remember that village kid who wanted to look for rock cacao? He reminded me of myself. So I wanted to help him, even if it wasn't my business. Help someone the way I was helped.
Ryusei checks himself out.
Ryusei: But then Hitomi said something that cleared something up for me. I hadn't really accepted that I had to be the way I was to change to who I am now...maybe I was being fake to that kid.
MC: I thought you were cool then!
Ganran: ...can you say you're proud of yourself now, Ryusei? You were you then and you're still you after changing.
Hitomi: Yeah!
Rexer: You're the way you are now because you wanted to change back then. Or, something.
Rexer scratches his head.
Rexer: Same for me. So let's both stand proud!
Rexer holds his hand out. Ryusei shakes it hard.
Ryusei: ...thanks Rexer! So our worries are part of our histories, like Hitomi said.
Hitomi: Yeah! Who we were and who we are now are both good!
Encouraging Hitomi.
Ryusei: Aw, thanks. I think you're cool with how hard you worked to get here. Maybe I should be nicer to my old self.
MC: You made that kid happy because of who you are!
Ryusei: Oh! ...oh. So I really did pay things forward a bit.
Rexer: Yeah, it's cool. I may not be as cool as Dad yet, but I'll make my way there my own way.
Rexer peeks shyly at MC for a second.
Rexer: You should make progress your own way too, Ryusei. We can do it together.
Ryusei: ...thanks. I think I know what to do now!
Ganran smiles.
Ryusei: Okay I'm good to get going! We got a village to save!
The party agrees!
Later
The party continues. The earthquakes are getting more frequent.
MC: ...almost there.
Rexer: Right. We better gear up as best we can.
Hitomi: MC, transform us now so we can hit the field running!
Ryusei: Yeah. Plus who knows when more mobs will jump in?
Ganran: Let us know if you get tired, MC!
MC: Okay. I'm still good to go!
Click! Transformed party!
Ryusei: Thanks! Get psyched, team!
Inspired party!
Rexer: (frowns)
Okay, except for Rexer staring at his Parallel Weapon.
MC: ...something up?
Rexer: Oh, just thinking.
Rexer looks at Ryusei.
Rexer: Ryusei's awesome, trying to be like the hero that saved him...
Rexer stops himself and looks at MC. Then he grabs MC's hand in determination!
Rexer: I need a favor! Remember how you got Toshu and Shaft's variant forms in Virtual Festa Royale?
Flashback still!
Rexer: Could you find one for me?
Present
Rexer: I realized I've been comparing myself to everyone. But it helps me see and work on what I'm missing. I was just wrong to think "being like Dad" as an end goal when what I wanted was to be better than Dad.
MC: ...alright, I'll give it a shot. So tell me how you really feel.
Rexer nods and thinks.
Rexer: ...I can't just mimic my dad, or else I'll never surpass him. So I've been seeing how everyone else does their thing, and I see everyone has been building themselves up differently, their own way.
MC: Same as you, huh.
Rexer: Right. I have my own history too.
MC: You aren't your dad but there's something YOU can do, right?
Rexer: ...Dad would probably fight differently in that last battle we had. But if it were me?
Beep beep!
Phone: Connect to Path?
Rexer: I want to fight with my own power!
MC: And now you can! Here we go!
Click! Ta-dah, Variant Rexer!
Rexer: Okay, wow, what!?
Surprised rest of party!
Ganran: Wait what, Rexer why are you dressed differently!?
Ryusei: Wow MC, is this your Observer power? You really CAN find Variant forms!
Hitomi: Congrats, Rexer!
MC: Wild! / Monster Hunter suit! / Hot
---
(C) Rexer: O-oh, feels weird being said that to my face. But thanks! Cool suit, huh?
---
Rexer: So I have... a crossbow. Wow, it feels so familiar.
Rexer goes over himself.
Ryusei: Oh hey, wait. You don't feel hot in that getup?
Hitomi: Oh yeah, huh! You were sweating buckets earlier!
Rexer: These drone things can absorb heat and fire it back for me!
Ganran: Haha, that's so convenient here!
EEEEVILLLL
MC: ...something's coming!
Mobs popping up like daisies!
Hitomi: Oh my god that's a lot!
Ryusei: Yeah this is gonna take a while. Ready guys!?
Ganran: Yep!
Meteor Type Monster pops up from above!
Monster: REEEEE
Rexer: MC, is that the boss?
MC: ...no. Still a bigger one around!
Ganran: WHAT? ...haha, fine! We clear these and make our way to the big one!
Hitomi: Right! MC, your orders!
Ryusei: I'm all better, so I'll give it my all!
MC readies their phone!
MC: Wave Battle, ride on!
Rexer: See the power of my own dream! (cocks weapon) Eat crossbow bolt!
BATTLE START (more happens later)
Rexer: I'm winning things my way! (fwoosh)
MC: It's working!
Rexer snipes some faraway mobs in the lava!
Hitomi: Wow, you got them from all the way here!
Ganran: Nice! Rexer, shoot the big one while I aggro the trash mobs!
Rexer: Cool! Hitomi, Ryusei, back me up!
Ryusei: Roger dodger!
Hitomi: Right! MC, send me some VP!
MC: VP Charge, go!
click
Hitomi: Okay Ganran! Space Heroic Inspiration!
Ganran: Ooooh! Forging "Schmieden Schatz-axt"!
Giant Swing attack!
Ryusei: Cool, Ganran swept them up! Let's go, Rexer! Health and Beauty "Pose of Rebirth"!
Rexer: Thanks! Okay, chumps! You can run but you can't hide! (full draws crossbow) MC, VP Charge me!
MC: Got it!
Rexer: Renaming my ult for my variant, so! Overtake "Over Limit Execution"!
BOOM
Monster: LOOOOVELLLLYYYYY (poof)
Hitomi: Oh no, watch out!
Rexer: The Monster hit the walls before it poofed away!
MC: It's gonna fall!
Ganran: Quick, fall back!
Rexer: MC, grab onto me!
Rexer grabs MC and jumps away! Falling rocks make the lava splash!
Ryusei: Ack! You guys okay!?
Hitomi: I-I'm alright.
Rexer: Same. My drones wouldn't be able to handle it if I didn't get out. MC, you okay? (puts MC down)
MC: I'm fine, thanks! But...
Ryusei: Yeah I can't make that jump.
Big lava river splitting the party in half...
Ganran: Same. We'll have to find another way around.
Rexer: B-but what if we never regroup?
Ryusei: Yeah, we're out of water now and have no heat protections.
Hitomi: Also, you might revert out when you get out of MC's sight!
Ryusei: Well we can get an emergency remote Operator to--
No phone connection...
Ganran: Oh. My phone seems to have broke too.
Ryusei: Dang, that means Ganran and I will have to watch each other.
Rexer: Maybe you guys should head back to town.
Ganran: We came this way because we couldn't.
Ganran and Ryusei vibe with each other.
Ganran: Welp, only one thing left to do then Ryusei!
Ryusei: Yep!
Ryusei and Ganran: Gut up and push through!
Fist bump!
MC: You guys...
Hitomi: N-no, that's too reckless!
Rexer: Maybe we can think of another plan!
Lava flow rising! Ryusei and Ganran have less leg room!
Ganran: Forge rules! Always keep hope! Go on, we'll be fine and get back to you guys, promise!
Ryusei: Yeah, we're heroes! Better get going.
Ganran: Right. Watch the rest of the team for us, MC!
MC: ...I'll send you guys all the VP we have left. You have to come back later!
click
Ryusei: Thanks, we should be okay if we find more Monsters!
Ganran: Later!
Hitomi: ...alright, stay safe!
Rexer: Yeah! We should go too, Hitomi, MC!
Both halves of the party head out!
Title Card: I Know How Loss Hurts
Ryusei: Man our team is nice to worry about us so much.
Ganran: Yeah, they're good friends. So we have to get back.
Ryusei: Let's step on it while we still have VP then.
Ganran: Yeah. There has to be a way through somewhere.
End of Episode
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